Machine for catching boll-weevils.



Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A TTORIVEYS 0. F. 81505105, 11. MACHINE FOR CATCHING BOLL WEEVILS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-22, 1914.

JCDLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH wqwAsmNa'i oN, 01c

W/ Til E8858 0. F. BLEDSOE, JR.

MACHINE FOR CATCHING BOLL WEEVILS. APPLICATION FILED sEPT.22. 1914.

1 9 1 5 1,437. 7 Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

I a ////f Il ///y/// I I I) I I :5 Q Q 4 :r- V I 7 IIVI/EAITOR WITNESSES COLUMBIA PLANOORAIH co., WASHINGTON, D. c

- memes.

. To all whom itma y concern OSCARF. B L EIJSOE, JBL, OF SHELLIVLGUND, MISSISSIPPI.

ivmoninn r'onfeatrciiine BOLL-WEEVILS;

Specification of Letters'Eatent. Patgntgdl Aug; 24., 1 5,215,

r Application filed. September as, 1914. Serial no. 882,887.

Be itknown that 1, Oscar: F. Bminson, Jr., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Shellmound, 1n the county of Leflore and State of Mississippi, have invented a new and Improved Machine for Catching lE ll-Neevils, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention has for its object to provide a machine for catching boll weevils, having means for readily adjusting the height of the pans which are held yieldingly spaced apart to pass at each side ofthe plant stems,

the pans being pivoted to swing together laterally as occasion may require,

Another ob ect of the invention is to provide obliquely disposed balile plates to y y swing the plants from side/to side above the pans for shaking the bell weevils from the plants, so that they may fall into thepans as the machine is moved forwardly; the ballle plates are so disposed that while they will engage the plants to shake the boll weevils therefrom, they will not injure the plants. I

Additional objects of the invention will :appear in the following specification .in

which the preferred form of my invention is described; I H i r In the drawings similar reference char acters refer to similar parts in all theviews in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of my invention; Fig. 2is, a. plan view of F 1;

Fig. 3 is a section view on theline 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. l is an enlarged section view on the line of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a frag.

mental-y view showing how the resilient arms for supporting thepans are pivotally mounted on the frame; Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing one of the pans.

By referring to the drawings it-willl be seen that a longitudinally extending frame member 10 is provided, and disposed under this frame member 10 there is a companion frame member 11, the ends 12 and 18.0f

the companion frame member'll being bent in the direction of frame member 10 to which they are riveted, the central portion of the frame members 10 and 11 being spaced apart, as best shownin Fig. 1 in the drawings. Disposed transversely between the framemember 10 and 11 and, clamped thereby there is a frame member 14: which has depending legs 15 which diverge as? extend.

shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, supporting wheels 16 being mounted on, axles 17 which extend horizontally from the lower terminals and the said legs 15.

The" legs 15.;a1'e connected by a transverse brace 18 which is secured tothe said legs at 19, a frame member being also secured "to the legs 15 at 19; the frame member 20 extending upwardly and forwardly andis clamped between the frame members 10 and 11 adjacent the end 13 of the frame member. In this manner a light but durable frame is cheaply constructed. The two members 21 having the resilient arms'22 for supporting the-pans 23 are provided with eyes which registerwiththe orifices 25 in the bifurcated ends v26 of the rods 27 which extend verti-.

cally at one side of the frame members 10 and 11; cotter pins 25; extend through the The rods 27 are eyes 24-at the orifices held in adjusted: position relative to the frame members 10 and 11 by eye bolts 28, through the eyes 29 of which the rods 27 are disposed, clamps 30 being provided and having openings 31 through Whiclrthe bolts 28 Nuts 33 mesh with the threads 32 on the bolts 28 for pressing, against the clamps 30 so that the frame members 10 and 11 will be clamped between the rods 27 and the clamps 30. Inthis manner the members 21, having the resilient arms, which'have been described, are supported. The rods-3 1;

are supported in a similar manner by similar Qeye bolts 28 and clamps 30 whlch cooperate avith the. frame members 10 and 11 and which permit the vertical adjustment of the rods 3% which support the baffle plates 35.

As has been stated the members 21 have dependingresilient arms '22 which are securedv to the outer sides of the pans 23 for supporting the said pans. These pans are spaced apart and are provided on their inner sides with the buffer members 36, the forward ends of which are curved outwardly at 87 to lead the stems of the plants between the pans 23. i I

-To the faces of the buffer members 36 there is preferably secured cloth strips 38 to prevent injuryto the plant stems and to the outer sides and ends of the pans 23 there is secured a hood 39 which is supported bythe 1 resilient arms 22. Not only is it possible for the pans 23 to move to and from each other to make certain that the progress of the .ma

chine will not be obstructed while the pans I will be held as close as possible to the plant p These baflle plates are disposed horizontally and obliquely relatively tothe center line of the machine. The baiiie plates being preferably disposed as shown in'Fig. 2 of side thereby until the forward b'afiie plate the drawings where they arespaced above the adjacent sides of the pans23 and di- '1 5 v 1 0f the pans. VVith this construction the verge laterally toward theouter side of one plant stems will be engaged by the for ward baffle plate and will-be pushed to one passes theplants when they willbe immediately engaged by the second baffle plate to be quickly pushed to the otherside of the machine, thereby giving each plant a severe shaking which willcaus'e the boll weevils to 7 fall therefrom into the. pans 23, in which may be deposited any desired substance to kill the boll weev1ls,or to prevent their es cape from the pans.

of the" pans 23 is The drawings show the rods 34 are angus lar in cross section so that they will hold the baflle plates 35 at the proper angle when adjusted and clamped at the proper height. The pans'23 have their bottoms extend ing upwardly toward the centerline of the machine to conform to the elevatedrows i that cotton ls'planted in. The front'of each inclined to pass over ,-ob o stacles;

It will be understood that the baffle plates 35 engage the plant stems to move the plates laterally againstthe pans 23, thereby pushing the pans 23 laterally so that when. vthe plant stems are freed byreach baffle plate the plants willspring back and forth later-- ally against and under the influence of the pans 23t0 shake the'boll weevilsinto the "pans23.

Having thus'described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent r p v I 1. In a machine of theclass described, a

frame, two pans spaced apart for engaging opposite sides of the plant stems, pivotal means carried by the frame for supporting the pans, and a baffle platesupported by the frame and normally disposed obliquely over a side of a pan for engagingathe plantrstems to move the plants laterally against the i I panspthereby pushingvthe pans laterally "so baffieplate, the plants willspring back and that when the plant stems are freed bythe c pies oi'tliis patent may be obtained for five 'cents eachfby x g: p I washingtomncfi" As has forth, laterally against and under thefina fluence of the pans for thepurpose specified. 2; Ina, machine of the classdescribed, a- Y'frame, twopans spaced apart for engaging i opposite sides of a'row of plant stems,-pivotalmeans carried by the frame for supporting the pans, the pivotal means per mitting the'pans to move relativelyto' each other, 7 two; horizontally disposed bafie plates, one" disposed in front of the other and at an angle'relativcly thereto, thebaille plates being normally dlSPOSBi'BZtCll overan adjacent-side ofa panfor engaging the plant stems tomovethe plants laterally and against the pans, thereby pushing the pans laterally so that'when the .plant stems are freed ..byfthe,halile p'l'atei the plants will 'springback and forth laterally againstand the "pans for the pur- I under the influence of v pose specified. r 3. In a machine of carried :byrthe frame for supporting the pans, and a baffle plate supported by the v the class described, a frame, two pans spaced apart for engaging opposite iSlClGS of plant'stems, resilient means frame and normallydisposed obliquely over aside of a, panfor engaging the plant stems to move the plants laterally against a pan,

thereby? pushing the pan laterally so that whenthe plant stems are freed by the ballie plate the plants'will spring back and forth laterally against and under the influence of the pans for thepurpose specified 4. In ainachine oftheclass described,

longitudinally extending frame member, a

legs, a brace connecting the' -legs,a frame member secured toflthe legs and extendlng upwardly and forwardlyuneans for securtransverse frame member having 7 depending ving the third frame member v to the first frame member, wheels mounted on the legs,

twopairs of arms, means for supporting the arms on' 'the fiirst frame member, and two pans spaced apart and'carried bythe arms.

5. In a. machine of the class described, a longitudinally extending frame member, a transverseframe member having depending legs, a frame member secured to the legs and extending forwardly, means for securing the third frame member to the'first frame 1nember,wheels mounted onth'e legs,

twopairs of arms, means for supporting the, arms on the firstframe member, and two,

pans spaced apart and carried by the arms. In testimony whereof have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing wi tnessesrl v I OSCAR F. BLEDSOE, JR.

Witnesses: r I r FULKERSON,

R. S. WrNerrnLD.

addressing the v Commissioner 0;! Patents, 

